Senior Transaction Director

AstraZeneca•Boston, MA

7d•$200,799 - $301,199•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Development Operations (BDO) team is a stand-alone business unit within AstraZeneca that pursues a variety of value-enhancing business development opportunities that have a clear strategic fit with our portfolio and commercial capabilities. These transactions can be alliances and strategic acquisitions to enhance our portfolio and pipeline in our main therapy areas, externalisation activity to broaden or accelerate the value in our pipeline, or divestments to streamline our focus. This role will lead all aspects of the transactional phase of transactions and, in the case of externalisation/divestment projects, also leads the initial evaluation and external marketing phase. This role will handle a wide range of projects and work through the transaction process from end to end, engaging with prospective partners, negotiating and finalising contracts and, where appropriate, working collaboratively with the Evaluation Director equivalent from Corporate Development or the Therapy Area throughout the deal process. You will work flexibly across all AstraZeneca therapy areas. You will lead multi-functional cross-SET area teams in progressing transactions including the development of business cases and supporting their presentation to the most senior management in the company.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
7+ years experience in leading business development negotiations and execution of significant late stage and on market transactions as exemplified in deal sheet (please be prepared to share)
Broad knowledge of pharmaceutical business, process and activities
A flexible, team orientated approach, willing to contribute own skills to deliver AZ priority projects
Strong analytical skills and ability to determine the relevant issues from large masses of information.
Numerate and having financial literacy
Experience and effectiveness in the presentation of written and verbal business cases
Knowledge of alternative deal structures and legal principles applicable to a range of deal types
Strong negotiation skills and experience of working in a high pressure deal environment.
Gravitas and experience to create a positive relationship with third parties as an AZ Ambassador at Board and Executive Committee level.
Leading multiple, large, international, multi-functional project teams of senior professionals
Demonstrates structured and measured leadership, interactions and decision making during periods of high intensity in external or internal deliberations.
Interpersonal and team leadership skills, demonstrating flexibility and capacity to handle complexity under time pressure.
Strong judgement and decision-making skills in order to take responsibility both for progressing and terminating transactions.

Nice To Haves

Bachelors of Science degree
Advanced degree, e.g. MBA. PhD
Knowledge of disease areas, and drug development activities and commercial processes.

Responsibilities

Establish and independently lead international, senior level, diverse, multifunctional teams to prosecute transactions in all therapy areas, at all different Development phases with a primary focus on Phase 1 and beyond as well as on market deals in any geography. Such teams may include senior scientific, technical and commercial representatives from R&D, Commercial, Legal, Finance and Operations.
Interpret and synthesize data gathered from 3rd parties, desk sources and internal AZ knowledge and distil facts down to the key aspects, balancing the needs of AZ and the counterparty in building business cases.
Work with leadership to ensure appropriate prioritization and ranking of transactions across the business.
Identify transaction risks and opportunities and make clear recommendations to senior management to progress or to close.
Interacting at Board level with Partners, Targets, Investment Banks, Law Firms and other consultants and advisers.
Manage the relationship with the potential partner in the transaction phase in a timely and professional manner.
Ensure that AZ remains competitive in 3rd party deal process and is positioned as partner of choice.
Work with Senior Due Diligence Directors to ensure due diligence assessments focus on key risks.
Constructing and negotiating optimal deal structure in discussions with internal and external stakeholders, including working with the Evaluation Director/Team from the Term Sheet phase of the project
Prepare and present deal propositions to relevant governance bodies including the Board of Directors
Lead the deal negotiation and closure.
Ensure post closure activities are fully completed.
With the Evaluation Director (when applicable) and other relevant team members, develop, manage and maintain stakeholder relationships including internal accountability to devise and lead a high quality stakeholder management strategy involving CEO and SET, other Governance groups, Science Committee and AZ PLC Board of Directors.
Contribute to stakeholder updates as appropriate.
Ensure that appropriate records are maintained and that decision support documentation is uploaded as appropriate.
Ensure effective handover to relevant Alliance- Integration Manager including preparation of any mandated handover documentation (ex. Executive Summary).
Ensure thorough deal learning reviews are undertaken and takeaways are shared across the BD deal making community.